The present disclosure generally relates to vehicles and, more particularly, relates to a multi-functional brake light located at the center high mounted position and meeting applicable federal motor vehicle safety standard 108 and for use in providing lighting outside of the vehicle.
The lighting system of a vehicle generally consists of the lighting and signaling devices mounted or integrated to the front, sides, rear, and in some cases the top of the motor vehicle. The purposes of these devices are to provide illumination for the driver to operate the vehicle, to increase the visibility of the vehicle, and to provide indicator information about the vehicle's presence, position, size, direction of travel, and/or the driver's intentions regarding direction and speed of travel. As part of the vehicle's lighting and signalizing devices, it is generally known for a vehicle to include a center high mounted stop light (CHMSL) as it has been required as original equipment on passenger vehicles by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 since about 1986 and on all new light trucks since about 1994. The purpose of CHMSL is to better safeguard a car or light truck from being struck in the rear from another vehicle. When the brakes on a vehicle are applied, the CHMSL warns drivers of following the vehicle they should slow down. While the CHMSL has long been known, it remains relatively unchanged from its original design as implemented in the 1980s. There long remains a significant need to improve the lighting around a vehicle.